We have pulled together a Buying Guide to help you understand the benefits of buying and using Kiln Dried Logs & Heat Logs. If you are new to Kiln Dried Logs or Heat Logs, this guide should help you understand why & what to buy, if you are an existing Kiln Dried Logs user or Heat Log user we hope you might find this information beneficial. Please note this is purely a "guide" . Whether you’re a casual user who enjoys your log stove at weekends or you burn logs day and night we have flexible buying options to suit everyone.
NEW LEGISLATION REGARDING BURNING WET WOOD - SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT FOR YOU
DEFRA have announced their decision to ban the sales of wet firewood in the UK with a moisture content greater than 20% by February 2021 when sold in amounts less than 2 cubic metes and a ban on the sale of the most polluting house coal from 2023. All firewood suppliers will need to be environmentally conscious and only sell wood of a moisture content of less than 20%. This means that any firewood that is NOT KILN DRIED will need to be seasoned for at least TWO YEARS to get the moisture content down below 20%.
HERE AT WOODS MARKET ALL OUR OR LOGS ARE LESS THAN 20% MOISTURE, KILN DRIED AND CERTIFICATED BY THE WOODSURE READY TO BURN SCHEME TO GUARANTEE LESS THAN 20% MOISTURE AND INSPECTED AND MONITORED BY THE FORESTRY COMMISSION. WE ALSO ONLY BUY FROM COMPANIES WHO SOURCE THEIR TIMBER FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTS & WOODLANDS
SO WHY EVEN TAKE THE RISK WHEN YOU CAN BUY KILN DRIED WOODSURE READY TO BURN FIRE WOOD FROM US
Unfortunately some news outlets incorrectly reported this DEFRA press release saying they were banning wood burning stoves. DEFRA did NOT say they are banning wood burning stoves, they are trying to ensure only low moisture wood is burned in stoves. There is never a good reason for burning wet wood on a stove or an open fire
Our customers can rest assured that our WOODSURE READY TO BURN approved KILN DRIED LOGS are below the required 20% moisture content required and always have been to that high standard.
Our Kiln dried logs comply with ALL regulations and we are an accredited WOODSURE READY TO BURN WOOD supplier consistently supplying quality Kiln Dried Logs.
ALSO REMEMBER HEAT LOGS ARE A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO LOGS AND THEY ARE ALL WELL BELOW 10% MOISTURE
KILN DRIED LOGS
You may find Kiln Dried Logs for sale on the internet that seem much cheaper, please be careful as some of the crate sizes & weights are less than ours and some retailers may mix with other wood species logs.
All of our timber is sourced from sustainable sources, our suppliers are registered for cropping forests that are being replanted.
We spent a lot of time on research to finally choose our suppliers and we are glad to state that we now have the very best of suppliers and we are confident that they will constantly, consistently and will continue to provide exceptional quality of product from their production facilities .
We have chosen Kiln Dried Ash, Oak & Birch because of their calorific value, constant supply and sustainability.
All of our logs are 100% Ash, Oak or Birch, no softwoods or other species of timber.
One Of Our Most Frequently Asked Questions Is Which Kiln Dried Logs To Buy - Ash Oak Or Birch?
Kiln Dried Ash lights quickly, burns really hot and lasts a long time. It has in the past been the favourite species because it was really the first available species in to be kiln dried bulk, but now Oak & Birch are equally as popular.
Kiln Dried Oak is a great wood, it's more dense than the other species, has a much thicker bark and is rougher to the touch and because of its weight and density it does take slightly longer to build up to temperature but once it does it generates amazing heat (more than Ash), has a lovely aroma and is a very long lasting wood and the logs tend to be slightly larger.
Kiln Dried Birch is a great option for smaller stoves, it lights very quickly especially with it's flakey bark, tends to get hotter more quickly and the logs tend to be a touch thinner, and once fire is up to temperature you do need to turn down your vents to slow down the speed of burn but it is a very good all round species for log stoves and is more economical than Ash & Oak.
When deciding which type to go for also bear in mind the size of your log stove as that can make a difference to the volume you will burn
Also Kiln Dried Logs are brilliant for Pizza Ovens & Chiminea's
Buying logs for wood burning stoves, multi-fuel burners, firewood stoves, and open fires can seem complicated and a bit of a minefield, for many of us our fireplace or log stove is one of the the most attractive features of our home and we want the best firewood your money can buy, and until now, kiln dried logs have not always been readily available and no one really knew the benefits of burning Kiln Dried Logs. We all know there is nothing worse than ordering firewood that is tipped from a trailer and finding on delivery that you have wet high moisture content wood which does not burn well. The most significant factors which affect how long logs burn for and the amount of heat they will generate are the moisture content and the wood density. An easy way to ensure this never happens is to find a source of Kiln Dried Logs for sale that are premium quality every time and we believe we have exactly that with our Kiln Dried Ash, Oak & Birch Logs.
Basically the less moisture there is in your logs the less water needs to be boiled away through steam before heat can be generated, which makes Kiln Dried logs the perfect fuel for wood burning stoves and because Ash & Oak are more dense than other hardwoods they burn for much longer, so we recommend Ash, Oak & Birch Kiln Dried Logs every time.
Logs kiln dried to 20% or lower usually generate over twice the heat than seasoned or partially seasoned logs do, plus over time burning wet logs may cause significant damage to your stove and flue lining, making them inefficient as wood burning logs, that's why we recommend Kiln Dried logs
All of our logs for sale are Kiln Dried Ash, Oak & Birch hardwood logs with a moisture content on average of 10-20 % - due to this, they burn hotter, burn better and tend to last longer
Kiln Dried Logs are generally a better alternative than the cheaper logs you can buy at garden centres, and petrol stations plus they give off much more heat than poorly seasoned logs, which may not even burn at all if they are too wet, and they can also be quite dirty to handle, whereas kiln dried firewood is subjected to immense heat during the kiln drying process, plus non Kiln Dried Logs tend to produce more creosote and soot than Kiln Dried Logs, which can make your appliance or chimney more costly to maintain.
If you’re new to wood burning and aren’t sure how much you’ll need, it entirely depends upon how you intend to use your stove. For evening and weekend use, we would recommend starting with our smaller crate, barrow bags or bulk bags, but only you know how often you light your fire so the amount you will use be vary greatly from user to user. Always remember, with Kiln Dried Logs you don't usually need as many as you would with regular logs as they burn much hotter and should get your fire started much quicker. If you intend on using your log stove more frequently and as your main heat source, we recommend buying our larger crate or our heat logs. But to be honest, there is no definitive guide as to how many logs you will use per season as there are so many different factors to take into account, the size of your stove, the size of the room you are heating, the ambient warmth of your room, the insulation of your room, how hot you want your stove to be and how long you have your stove on for.
We find with kiln dried logs you actually get more use per crate or bag as they don't have the high moisture content that seasoned logs do, plus Kiln Dried Logs do burn hotter and more efficiently than seasoned logs so you may use less, and they are less damaging to your stove because of the low moisture content.
When burning logs it is vital to make sure that your wood is dry. For seasoned logs this is usually reached by at least one year of dry storage, the recommended is two years so it is simpler to buy Kiln Dried logs to ensure low moisture content as the drying process is much better. If wood has a moisture content of more than 25% the wood burns poorly and it also pollutes the environment due to gases emitted during burning. The burning of poorly dried wood can lead to sooting of the chimney, and the water, sulfur and tar emitted may penetrate a stone fireplace and cause stains and odours, so buying Kiln Dried logs helps prevent this process.
To get a good blazing fire, you should pay attention to a sufficient supply of air ensuring good room ventilation.
Also pay attention to proper storage of your logs, you should not really use airtight tarpaulins to cover your logs, because then the moisture of the wood can not escape. This creates the risk of mold and wet logs, so our Kiln Dried Logs are delivered in open crates, or bulk bags. (remember to remove or loosen the clear transportation pallet wrap after delivery to allow the logs to breathe)
You save money when you buy wood with good calorific values. What is Wood Calorific Value you ask.
When choosing wood for burning there are three factors which have an effect on the calorifi c value (CV) or the amount of available heat per unit of fuel: 1. Species Choice 2. Wood Density 3. Moisture Content
Species Choice - The main differences between species are moisture content when the timber is green, at the time of felling, and the rate at which this moisture is lost during seasoning. The general differences are that hardwoods (deciduous, broadleaved trees) tend to be denser, and softwoods (evergreen, coniferous trees) tend to contain more resins. Kiln Dried Ash, Oak & Birch are the perfect species choice.
Wood Density - As hardwood species are generally denser than softwood species, a ton of hardwood logs will occupy a smaller space than a ton of softwood logs. Dense woods will burn for longer than less dense woods, this means you will need fewer ‘top ups’ to keep a log stove burning, hence the importance of Kiln Dried logs. If you measure wood by volume you will generally receive more kilowatt hours (kWh) of heat from a cubic metre (m3 ) of hardwood than softwood. However, softwoods are often cheaper and easier to source but no where near as efficient as our hardwood Kiln Dried Ash, Oak & Birch.
Moisture Content - The moisture content of wood has the greatest effect on CV of any of the variables. Not only does any water in the timber represent less fuel when buying by weight, but it also has to evaporate away in the form of steam before the wood will burn hot, using some of the fuel energy reducing the net energy released as useful heat. Using Kiln Dried Logs guarantees you low moisture content.
Moisture Content for Kiln Dried logs is very emotive subject & sometimes can be really difficult to quantify. When our logs come in we sample test the exterior and sides of the logs with a moisture meter and a random selection we split to read the moisture in the centre. Each crate or bag usually contains a mixture of log sizes (all a maximum of 25cms in length) and often the smaller logs have an extremely low moisture content and the slightly chunkier can range from 8 -15% on the exterior, so we can only fairly and honestly give you our valued opinion of the moisture content.
How we test & how you can test your logs - choose one medium sized log and split in two vertically. Measure the outside of the log keeping the moisture meter needles approx 4cms from the end of the log and parallel with the log end. Repeat this procedure on both sides of the log - Sum up the 6 readings and divide by 6 - If the result is less than 20% your logs are ready to burn test your logs -
We do everything we can to ensure our Kiln Dried Logs meet and exceed the quoted moisture content but we can never be 100% accurate and can only give you an approximate moisture content.
If you are new to Kiln Dried Logs why not try our "Sample Packs" its a great introduction to the Kiln Dried log world and we can almost guarantee once you've tried them you will be back for more and won't revert to regular logs again.
Kiln Dried Ash is also very good and probably the most popular wood for Pizza Ovens as they have very low moisture content, they burn hot & clean so they don't affect the taste of the food or emit moisture or odours and don't soot up the chimney. The drier the wood the more energy used for heat production and less time needed to evaporate water content found in non kiln dried logs
HEAT LOGS & BRIQUETTES
Please note the following information regarding Heat Logs & Briquettes is an aid to decide which Heat Log Product is best for you.
All heat logs are made of compressed sawdust. And therefore must be stored in a dry space at all times.
The manufacturing process is referred to by the name of the Equipment used to produce them as there are no patented Products.
So, if you see a product called Pinkay, Pinikey, RUF, Nestro etc etc in the market place, it is referring to the NAME of the equipment or machine used to produce it.
There is NO standardised product because producers can literally put any thing in the machine to produce a heat log, mixed sawdust, hardwood sawdust, softwood sawdust such as pine or spruce etc.
Therefore UNLESS you see a specific reference to what each Heat Log is made of, you can presume it's a SOFTWOOD sawdust ,and of course it will be cheaper, and as we all know you only get what you pay for, which will not last as long as a HARDWOOD sawdust product. That is just a plain fact. Also, bear in mind some soft woods have a lot more sap than hardwoods, therefore your chimney/fire is going to need cleaning a lot more often. It goes without saying you will get less heat from a Softwood than Hardwood, again that is just a fact.
We ONLY sell Hardwood Heat Logs as they represent the best quality that is available and produce the most heat .
Most of our Hardwood Heat logs have also been "Tested in Independent Laboratories" , details are published on the site for each product. Please have a look as we are not aware of many other retailers in the UK who do that and we are one of the very few who do. As a result of these tests, we are very pleased to announce that Woodsure Ready To Burn have allowed the following products to have their seal of Approval
- - Our PINIKAY HARDWOOD HEAT LOGS which are made of Oak and Beech only, and these are bespoke to us and we are the only Retailer of this product in the UK.
- Our NESTRO HARDWOOD HEAT LOGS which are made exclusively of Birch. Seal of Approval July 2020. Again we are the only retailer of this specific Birch Briquette in the UK, and we know that this product is a by product of the wood laminate industry.
- our WOODY BRIQUETTES made of only Beech sawdust .This product can also, be used for Pizza ovens as well as Log Stoves. This product is again a by product of the Furniture industry . This also has the Woodsure Ready To burn seal of approval.
The final note to look out for is the compression that has been used to make all Heat Logs. Basically the higher the compression in Manufacturing the better the product in the burning process and the more stable it is, not only in handling but also, neater and tidier at the Fireplace.
Please note all our other Heat Logs , that are not mentioned above have class leading compression statistic/ratings.
The hope is that the above information makes your choice as simple as possible whether you buy our most economical Heat Logs or our more expensive ones.
If you are unsure of which log is best for you please ring for advice as everyones requirements are different and we can help you select what is best for your installation.
Thank you for taking the time to read this quick explanation.